Strawberry plant

ABSTRACT

A new distinct spring bearing variety of strawberry plant characterized by its prolific runner production and ability to produce large, glossy, smooth berries throughout the first and second fruiting seasons. The variety is particularly distinguished by having one leaf per plant generally with four or five leaflets rather than three, and further by an abundance of pubescence with pedicel hairs which grow substantially perpendicular to the pedicel. The large fruit and strong pedicel will make the variety popular for &#34;long stem&#34; use.

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry plantwhich is the result of a cross of the Driscoll patented spring varietyU.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,286 and Driscoll everbearing selection E12.

The seedlings resulting from the aforementioned cross were grown andasexually multiplied in Shasta County, Calif. and tested in the fruitingbeds on the property of growers of the Driscoll Strawberry Associates,Inc. Clones of the seedlings were also held at the Propagation Nurseryin Shasta County. One plant was selected from the aforementioned groupof seedlings and further asexually reproduced by runners in the ShastaCounty nursery of Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc. Tests followed invarious parts of California during intervening seasons on variousproperties of grower members of the Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc.These tests indicated the merits of the novel plant and resulted in itsselection as a promising test variety.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates plant parts of the new variety which are typical insize, shape and color during July.

FIG. 2 illustrates the distinctive orientation of pedicel hair growingperpendicular to the pedicel.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown the strong, heavycommon or main peduncle and the axil with the pedicel holding theprimary berry originating from that axil. Also illustrated are foursecondary peduncles also originating from the axil and at least tenberries which will be large enough to be shipped to the fresh marketfrom this inflorescence. The primary as well as secondary and tertiaryberries of the new variety are large. The primary berry illustrated isover 50 mm. in length and width. The leaf illustrated is the strongestdistinguishing characteristic of the new variety as there are fourleaflets per leaf. There is generally one leaf per plant with eitherfour or five leaflets, in contrast to the normal three, whether theplant is growing at the nursery or the fruiting bed.

The plant of this novel spring fruiting variety is medium to large insize, but usually lower to the ground than the patented spring bearingvariety Heidi, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,123. The plant is darker than Heidieven though the young leaves may be lighter in color until they mature.Even though a spring bearing variety, if given the correct chillingbefore planting, this variety will produce during the first year afterbeing planted similarly to Heidi.

The crown crop ripens generally in April with the main crop ripeningduring mid or late May, slightly before Heidi. It will not, however,produce as heavily during late summer and fall and will not produce thefirst year continuously if given the chilling the Heidi is able toreceive and still produce. The fruit is consistently larger and has aheavier, thicker pedicel than Heidi. The inflorescence of the newvariety tends to produce more secondary peduncles, thus more berries perinflorescence than Heidi. The fruit becomes darker, generally less conicand even though it is not prone to consistent longitudinal furrows andis considered smooth, it is not as smooth as Heidi. The flesh and skinare not as firm as Heidi. The flavor when compared during a taste panelis equal to Heidi and the strawberry aroma is also equal to Heidi. Thelarge fruit and strong pedicel make the variety popular for supplyingthe need for "long stems" (when the fruit is sold with several inches ofthe pedicel accompanying the fruit).

The new variety is distinct because of its pubescence. It is not soabundant to be objectionable, but is more abundant on all plant partsthan Heidi. The hair on the pedicel is perpendicular to the pedicel incontrast to Heidi where the hair is parallel to the pedicel. Theinflorescence may be as conspicuous above the plant as Heidi, but laterin the fruiting season the number of inflorescence per plant is less.The inflorescence is longer in total length than Heidi to the point thatit is a detriment as fruit may reach down in the irrigation furrow.

The new variety is more prone to be susceptible to powdery mildew thanHeidi, but is equal to Heidi in its susceptibility to the otherCalifornia pests, two-spotted mite, thrip, lygus and cyclamen mite. Itappears to be more susceptible to bacterial leaf spot Xanthomonasfragariae and the common leaf spot Mycosphaerella fragariae. It has notbeen completely tested against the Verticillium or the Red Stelediseases. Runners are abundant at the nursery and more abundant in thefruiting bed if given the same winter chilling as Heidi. As a seedlingand selection, this variety withstood the natural invasions of certainvirus components found in Central California without losing its abilityto produce.

The varietal characteristics of the novel plant, described below indetail, were observed mainly during the first season, but second yearfruit will be referred to. Observations were made during July and Augustin the Watsonville area of California which is a cool coastal area nearthe Pacific Ocean. The color terminology is in accordance with theMunsell Color System.

Plant: Medium to large, vigorous, especially if given adequate chillingbefore being planted, and has an extensive root system. Isozymes in LeafExtracts. Phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI): Five banded pattern usuallycalled "Auk Lake" or A7 pattern. It is a dihybrid type with bands at25/30/35 mm. under the standardized test done by University ofCalifornia (Scandolios. 1969 Biochem. Genet. 3:37-79).

Leaves: Medium to large in size. The central leaflet is usually 6 to 9cm. in width with the length slightly greater than the width. One leafper plant generally has four or five leaflets rather than three. Petiolelength is mostly 15 to 20 cm. from the base to the petiolule. Bracts maybe present on the petiole. Leaflets are mostly cupped upward. Theleaflets are moderately to strongly rugose. The leaflet serrations aredeep and acute at the apex. The color of the upper side of the leafletduring July is 0.6-G.2.8/6.5.

Runners: Runners are vigorous and abundant at the nursery. If the plant,however, is given a mean temperature of less than 50° F. after plantingin the fruiting beds for the months of December, January and Februaryand dug from high elevation by Nov. 1 and given two weeks storage at 34°F., less than one runner per plant can be expected.

Inflorescence: Total length varies from 25 to 35 cm. becoming longer asthe season progresses. The peduncles and pedicels are thick andconsidered strong. The pedicel holding the primary berry originatesmainly at an axil where as many as four or five secondary peduncles mayalso originate. Ten or more berries may originate from an inflorescencewhen there are many secondary peduncles present. The primary berryripens closer to the axil than secondary or tertiary berries. There maybe, however, simpler inflorescences with as few as one secondarypeduncle, but the secondary berries are generally still farther awayfrom the common peduncle than the primary berry. The hair on the pedicel20 mm. from a tertiary berry is perpendicular to the pedicel. Flowersare large and showy and may be visible above the plant during the springand early summer. Anthers produce an abundance of pollen.

Fruit: Crown crop berries are medium in size, but large for crown cropfruit. Main crop and subsequent berries consistently large. Primaries 45mm. to 55 mm. in length and width. Secondary and tertiary berries largeeven though smaller than primaries. Holds large size both first andsecond year until end of fruiting season with only slight drop in size.Flesh and skin considered moderately firm. Fruit shape is mainly shortwedge to conic in outline with rounded shoulders at the calyx end andnot necked (USDA Bulletin 1043). Some longitudinal furrows on primaries,but mainly a smooth surface. Not prone to malformation. Usually hasglossy, good appearance. The tips are not normally green or seedy, butshoulders may be slow to ripen, especially in the spring. Surface isconsidered dark--5.5R-2.9/11.6--flesh is 8.4R-4.0/15.6. The seed ismostly exerted small to medium in size. Yellow in color, but darkenrapidly if exposed to direct sunlight.

Calyx: Considerable variation in size and shape. Summer calyx may besmall in comparison to fruit size. 30 mm. or less in diameter andindividual sepals elliptical to slightly ovate with small serrations andoverlapping. The calyx of some primaries large, over 40 mm. in diameterwith individual sepals strongly ovate to wide elliptical with strongserrations and overlapping. Color of sepals on side facing fruit8.7GY-5.7/12.3.

I claim:
 1. The new and distinct strawberry plant herein described andillustrated, and identified by the characteristics enumerated above.